Astonishing moment a cloud resembling Queen Elizabeth floats over English town just hours after she died

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A British woman shared an image of a cloud formation resembling Queen Elizabeth floating over an English town, captured just an hour after the monarch passed away.

Leanne Bethell, who lives in Telford in England's west Midlands, shared the photo on Facebook, pointing out that it looked remarkably similar to the Queen wearing her signature hat.

'Driving home and Lacey starts shouting OMG! I panicked. Then she pointed this image out in the clouds,' Ms Bethell said on Facebook.

Leanne Bethell, who lives in Telford in England's west Midlands, shared a photo to Facebook of a cloud formation resembling Queen Elizabeth just an hour after her death

A Buckingham Palace spokesman released a statement at 3.30am AEST confirming her passing, saying: 'The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow'

Brits weighed in on the oddly shaped cloud formation.

'You only see it if you look for it. Maybe it is a sign or maybe we are just looking for a sign from above, who really knows,' one wrote.

'All I do know is this lady devoted her life to us so with the utmost respect. R.I.P Queen Elizabeth II,' one user commented.

'My girly Liz always watching over us,' wrote another.

A double rainbow also appeared over Buckingham Palace alongside another one at Windsor Castle this afternoon, with many saying the Queen 'sent us a sign' and that she has 'really left us'. 

'You only see it if you look for it...Maybe it is a sign or maybe we are just looking for a sign from above, who really knows? All I do know is this lady devoted her life to us so with the utmost respect. R.I.P Queen Elizabeth II,' one user commented

One twitter user said: 'The rainbow at Windsor Castle made me cry. The rainbow Queen sent us a sign.'

Another said: 'A rainbow breaks out, as the Union Jack is lowered to half-mast at Windsor tonight. A remarkable image. Farewell, Ma'am.'

Others took it as a sign that the Queen has 'really left us' as the rainbows appeared shortly as the news of the monarch's death was announced. 

The Queen's death will see Britain and her Commonwealth realms enter into a ten-day period of mourning as millions of her subjects in the UK and abroad come to terms with her passing

A double rainbow even appeared over the Victoria memorial, prompting some to say it is 'Queen Elizabeth with Prince Phillip'

In the hours prior to Queen Elizabeth's passing, members of the royal family rushed to Balmoral to say their goodbyes.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman released a statement at 3.30am AEST confirming her passing, saying: 'The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.'

Britain and her Commonwealth realms will now enter into a ten-day period of mourning. 

The Queen's coffin will be moved to London on the royal train before she lies in state in Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament for four days where hundreds of thousands of people will be able to pay their respects.

The state funeral is expected take place at Westminster Abbey in central London on Monday, September 19, which will be attended by her family as well as 2,000 heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life around the globe.

Charles, who will reign as King Charles III, today said: 'The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.

'We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.

'During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held.'